Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier

From master storyteller J. Randy Taraborrelli comes the powerful and moving story of one of royalty's most secretive families. Grace Kelly was swept away when the handsome Prince Rainier, a man she barely knew, asked for her hand in marriage. After a series of relationships with married co-stars, she was exhausted by the show-business lifestyle. If she married Rainier, sheFrom master storyteller J. Randy Taraborrelli comes the powerful and moving story of one of royalty's most secretive families. Grace Kelly was swept away when the handsome Prince Rainier, a man she barely knew, asked for her hand in marriage. After a series of relationships with married co-stars, she was exhausted by the show-business lifestyle. If she married Rainier, she would be more than just a movie star, she would be Her Serene Royal Highness Princess Grace. Once in the palace, however, Grace found herself trapped in a fairy tale of her own making. Forced to make sacrifices that cut deeply into the core of who she was as a woman, she would then surrender her desires and ambitions for her spouse and her children. Grace and Rainier may have been royalty, but they were also husband and wife, and parents--and, as such, just as vulnerable to the conflicts that can contaminate any household. Drawing upon hundreds of exclusive interviews with family and friends, ONCE UPON A TIME portrays its subjects with passion and sympathy, revealing Grace, Rainier, Caroline, Albert, and Stephanie in ways both startling and compelling....more

Hardcover, Large Print, 896 pages

Published
April 15th 2003
by Warner Books
(first published April 1st 2003)

Community Reviews

I always wanted to be a princess. Didn’t every girl growing up in the fifties have a “secret” dream about becoming a princess? Actually, I thought Prince Charles (Great Britain) would wait for me. When he finally married I was let down, even though I had been married myself many years by that time. So how could Grace Kelly refuse when a real Prince asked her to marry him?

Grace Kelly was never able to please her parents. It seems her sisters and brothers won all the awards, all the sports competiI always wanted to be a princess. Didn’t every girl growing up in the fifties have a “secret” dream about becoming a princess? Actually, I thought Prince Charles (Great Britain) would wait for me. When he finally married I was let down, even though I had been married myself many years by that time. So how could Grace Kelly refuse when a real Prince asked her to marry him?

Grace Kelly was never able to please her parents. It seems her sisters and brothers won all the awards, all the sports competitions, everything that meant success when raising children. Grace couldn’t seem to excel at anything. So she always had a hidden obsession to try to win her parents praise, especially that of her father.

When Grace won an Academy Award she thought her parents would be overwhelmed with joy and pride. However, they took it in stride and her father even made some humorous comments about it. So, when she had the opportunity to marry a Prince, she thought that this would finally fit the bill for the social climbing desires of her father and family. She was right; it was indeed a time of pride for them.

Prince Rainier needed a Princess in order to assure that the ruling line of Monaco would continue. If he didn’t have any heirs, the principality would revert back to the control of France. When he met Grace, she went to top of his prospect list.

Their marriage fulfilled needs they both had and was more an arrangement or contract than what one usually thinks of when dreaming of “fairy tales”. That the marriage worked and that they did, indeed, come to love one another deeply, is the real story and it was a great one.

The author did extensive research and walks the reader through Grace’s life, before and after she becomes Princess Grace. I found the book interesting, well written, and it made me feel that I somehow have touched the life of this real person who was both Grace Kelly and Princess Grace. I enjoyed the book and recommend it highly....more

A solid read. Offers a good overview on Grace Kelly's life before becoming a princess (growing up, issues with parents, being a young actress starting out, becoming a Hollywood star), on the state of Monaco and the Grimaldi family (what a bunch, really!), and on the marriage and family life of Grace and Rainier and their children (many ups, but in general more downs, oh my). Finished this just in time to feel well informed for the upcoming marriage of Albert and Charlotte.

At the end of Disney's Cinderella, Cinderella marries Prince Charming, and they live happily ever after. Or so we're told. But what happens after the wedding? Cinderella has only known her husband a day or two. She's just married a virtual stranger and is now a princess. How will her marriage work? Will they have kids? What sacrifices did she have to make to keep her prince? What does happily ever after mean?

To me, the story of Princess Grace's life, while not a perfect fit to Cinderella, answ At the end of Disney's Cinderella, Cinderella marries Prince Charming, and they live happily ever after. Or so we're told. But what happens after the wedding? Cinderella has only known her husband a day or two. She's just married a virtual stranger and is now a princess. How will her marriage work? Will they have kids? What sacrifices did she have to make to keep her prince? What does happily ever after mean?

To me, the story of Princess Grace's life, while not a perfect fit to Cinderella, answers many of those questions. To many Americans, Grace Kelly marrying Prince Rainer of Monaco was like watching a fairytale come to life: the beautiful American movie star and the handsome prince of an exotic country. That fairytale, however, was fraught with hurt, disappointments, and all the other small nuances that make up life. It isn't your perfect happily ever after because for all she gained Princess Grace lost just as much: her career, her old life, her freedom... When I read about Grace giving up her movie career after the people of Monaco were outraged at the idea of her making a film, I thought of my mother and all the things she's given up for me, the things she continues to give up for me. One time, I asked her why she did it, and she said that she would've done certain things differently in her life if she could've but that I had the choice to live my life anyway I choose. For all the tension and disagreements between Princess Grace and her daughters, I wonder if they've ever thought about how much their mother had to sacrifice and give up to be their mother.

Princess Grace and Prince Rainer's love story is not a perfect one, but I like to believe it was a love story by the end. These were two people pressured in different ways who had to learn how to be with one another and raise their children together and be in the spotlight together. I personally like Prince Rainer, and I think he treated Princess Grace well. He cared about her happiness, and it made him unhappy that she was unhappy in their country even if he couldn't necessarily fix it. By the time of Grace's death, the couple had come to appreciate each other for what they were: life-long partners and companions with mutual love and respect for each other.

As per usual, J. Randy Taraborrelli delivers a detailed and nuanced account of people more wildly complex than imagined. Definitely a good resource on Princess Grace....more

The "happily ever after" marriage of Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier III of Monaco is explored and demythologized in this fascinating, compelling and well-researched royal biography. After failed romances with married co-stars (Ray Milland and William Holden) and turning down a marriage proposal from Oleg Cassini, Kelly met Rainier, the prince of a popular Mediterranean resort town who was searching for a princess he hoped would become "the manifestation of all that we hope for and dream about inThe "happily ever after" marriage of Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier III of Monaco is explored and demythologized in this fascinating, compelling and well-researched royal biography. After failed romances with married co-stars (Ray Milland and William Holden) and turning down a marriage proposal from Oleg Cassini, Kelly met Rainier, the prince of a popular Mediterranean resort town who was searching for a princess he hoped would become "the manifestation of all that we hope for and dream about in Monaco." Nine months after what was called "the wedding of the century" (watched by 30 million TV viewers) in 1956, Grace gave birth to the first of their three children. Never planning to stop making films, she bowed to her husband's wishes and soon her loneliness and boredom were replaced by severe depression. The prince encouraged her to accept Alfred Hitchcock's offer of the lead in Marnie. But the subjects of Monaco objected and forced her to withdraw. Before her tragic car accident death in 1982, Grace found contentment in the life she chose. As he demonstrated in his 2002 bestseller, Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot, Taraborrelli is adept at illuminating political intrigue and complex family dynamics. He smoothly weaves together hundreds of exclusive interviews (in fast-paced, short chapters) to create vivid, full-blooded portraits. This is the definitive book on a marriage that started as an arrangement but ended as a love story.

I interviewed J. Randy Taraborrelli for PUBLISHERS WEEKLY in 2003 when this book came out.

PW: What was the most surprising thing you learned while writing Once Upon a Time: Behind the Fairy Tale of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier?

J. Randy Taraborrelli: I was most surprised by how tormented Grace Kelly's life was, both before and after she married Prince Rainier. Though many people saw her as a glamorous celebrity who got anything she wanted, she actually struggled through most of her life. When you look at what she had achieved up until the time she met the prince, it's difficult to imagine that she decided to marry him. She was an Academy Award—winning actress at the height of her career who gave it all up for a man she thought she loved. It was a tremendous sacrifice and one that, at different times along the way, she deeply regretted.

PW: What's the most common misperception about Princess Grace?

JRT: That the real Grace was similar to her on-screen persona: cold, distant and formal. In truth, Grace was a woman who saw the power that her beauty and sex appeal had on others—and she used it to her advantage. She had always craved approval from her father, and that led her, I believe, to try to find validation from many men along the way. Once in Hollywood, she discovered just how influential her sexuality could be. At a time when women were far less liberal-minded with their sexuality, Grace really was unapologetic about her ability to make men swoon.

PW: Didn't the results of her whirlwind marriage surprise her?

JRT: She had visited Monaco only once before moving there, and that was for, perhaps, 30 minutes when she first met Rainier! She had been an independent woman used to making her own choices about life. Once in Monaco, not only did she have a husband who was opinionated and rigid, she also had her subjects, the people of Monaco, who, ironically, ruled her in many ways. It was a principality that expected much of their princess, and Grace felt that pressure.

PW: How did Grace evolve into Princess Grace?

JRT: At first, she resisted embracing her new life as a royal. She had worked so hard to create the Hollywood image with which America had fallen in love, she was hesitant to dispose of it. When she finally accepted that her career as a movie star was over, she began the second stage of her reign—then with more commitment to her responsibilities as princess, and with much more peace.

PW: There are differing theories on how she died. Which do you believe?

JRT: I spent a great deal of time researching the car accident and I now understand why so many people still believe Princess Stephanie was driving the car. I outlined the chain of events that occurred that weekend, the arguments Grace and Rainier had with Stephanie over her wanting to drop out of college and become a race car driver. I think you have to read the book to really form an opinion. I was surprised to learn that the palace orchestrated a cover-up of certain details that would most certainly have cleared Stephanie in the court of public opinion, had everyone just been more honest.

PW: At the time of her death, was Grace happy?

JRT: She had always been a woman used to making her own choices, and when she finally began to accept the life she had chosen for herself, that's when she found peace in it. I think it's a universal story, especially during these difficult times when people are really examining their lives. We all have certain regrets. We all find ourselves in imperfect circumstances. As I wrote in the book, sometimes, the real challenge of living has to do with making a life that seems to no longer work... work. The secret is to not succumb to our regrets, but to rise above them, and then get on with things. Which is exactly what Princess Grace eventually did with her own life....more

Found it very hard to get into and ultimately found it a boring read. But to be honest that was probably more to do with the mood i was in. Grace Kelly herself was not a very interesting character, she married the Prince to gain her father's attention and affection. Whilst mothering her own children she turned into the kind of parent that she had detested growing up in a strick Catholic household.

A great story...really fascinating. However, the author I was not very impressed with. Poor use of language and it was very repetitive at times. I would probably decide against reading another of his books, despite being interested in the content.

This is a finely nuanced portrayal of a determined, vibrant, and strong woman who, ahead of her time, forged her own career and life. And then she chose to foresake that career for husband, family, her husband's country, public service, and charity. The author's analysis of why she made those choices and how societal pressures shape the decisions of even the strongest, wealthiest, and most independent women was fascinating. Princess Grace's ability to live, with dignity, after having made thoseThis is a finely nuanced portrayal of a determined, vibrant, and strong woman who, ahead of her time, forged her own career and life. And then she chose to foresake that career for husband, family, her husband's country, public service, and charity. The author's analysis of why she made those choices and how societal pressures shape the decisions of even the strongest, wealthiest, and most independent women was fascinating. Princess Grace's ability to live, with dignity, after having made those choices and make the best of them is a testament to her character. It's simply a pity that the world did not allow her more flexibility. An excellent read....more

Grace Kelly was such an icon to sophistication, beauty, and class - I remember her mostly for her role in Rear Window playing the girlfriend of Jimmy Stewart in the Alfred Hitchcock classic. I was intrigued by the fact that, although her family was wealthy, they weren't accepted in Philadelphia society due to being Irish and "new money". Her only brother and oldest sister were doted upon and the family had high hopes and expectations of them, yet Grace was not considered to be particularly prettGrace Kelly was such an icon to sophistication, beauty, and class - I remember her mostly for her role in Rear Window playing the girlfriend of Jimmy Stewart in the Alfred Hitchcock classic. I was intrigued by the fact that, although her family was wealthy, they weren't accepted in Philadelphia society due to being Irish and "new money". Her only brother and oldest sister were doted upon and the family had high hopes and expectations of them, yet Grace was not considered to be particularly pretty, bright, or capable - hard to imagine that! Prince Rainier was anxious to find a wife to provide an heir and she desperately wanted to prove something to her father - not exactly terrific reasons for marriage. She sounds extremely despressed throughout most of her "fairy tale" marriage. But due to what we would now call a pre-nup, should she ever leave the Prince and the palace, her children would remain in Monaco. So basically she stuck it out for over 25 years, bearing 3 children (and suffering several miscarriages) prior to her early death from a car accident. This was totally not the story most of us on the outside would ever have imagined for her life......more

The best bio of Grace and Prince Ranier I've ever seen. The entire book focuses on the highs, the lows and the in-betweens. It reads like a friendly family history written by a close friend. It never is degenerative, but always uses a lense of understanding. Without the 1950's you could not have had Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier. They typified the postwar era and ideals of romance and gender in the Western World. I found this not only interesting from a biographical standpoint, but I also lovedThe best bio of Grace and Prince Ranier I've ever seen. The entire book focuses on the highs, the lows and the in-betweens. It reads like a friendly family history written by a close friend. It never is degenerative, but always uses a lense of understanding. Without the 1950's you could not have had Grace Kelly and Prince Ranier. They typified the postwar era and ideals of romance and gender in the Western World. I found this not only interesting from a biographical standpoint, but I also loved the cultural critique the author uses as a framework to help us understand why Grace gave up her career to become a staid princess locked away in a palace-- all for true love. I recommend this to anyone interested in the fifties, the Grimaldis, the French Riviera, Boston society, and American Society in the fifties. ...more

I quite enjoyed this, it wasn't too dry and laden with irrelevant details as some biographies can be. The only thing I missed out on (perhaps the paperback version was more forthcoming) was photos of Grace. I was trudging through this expecting to have a multitude of photos to gush at but no luck!

This biography was an excellent example of outstanding writing. It was not sensationalized tabloid material but was true to whatever interviews that occurred during Grace Kelly's movie years and her short but powerful role as royalty in Monaco. She suffered an estranged relationship with overbearing parents, a shortened career in Hollywood, and a foreign role as an American woman who lacked understanding and the language of her new life. In her short 26 years as Princess; however, she was able tThis biography was an excellent example of outstanding writing. It was not sensationalized tabloid material but was true to whatever interviews that occurred during Grace Kelly's movie years and her short but powerful role as royalty in Monaco. She suffered an estranged relationship with overbearing parents, a shortened career in Hollywood, and a foreign role as an American woman who lacked understanding and the language of her new life. In her short 26 years as Princess; however, she was able to encourage a people and a land who once mistrusted her to a land and people who adored her at her death. At the car accident that took her life, I literally needed to read through eyes glazed in tears. Outstanding!...more

A good book on Princess Grace. There is not so much on her movie career, more about how she adjusted to life and marriage as a Princess in Monaco. If you've already read a few biographies on Grace, this one is good in addition to the story as you find out what happens to her children. The author interviewed close friends of Grace, and also clarifies the kinds of rumours which sprung up surrounding her.It does have some faults, a bit repetitious at times. It is not the absolute best book on Grac A good book on Princess Grace. There is not so much on her movie career, more about how she adjusted to life and marriage as a Princess in Monaco. If you've already read a few biographies on Grace, this one is good in addition to the story as you find out what happens to her children. The author interviewed close friends of Grace, and also clarifies the kinds of rumours which sprung up surrounding her.It does have some faults, a bit repetitious at times. It is not the absolute best book on Grace - for any fan, a must read is the bridesmaids book, but it is comprehensive and deals with family relationships rather than gossip....more

Taraborrelli guides the reader effortlessly through the twists and turns of these two complex lives and their eventual union. A well-researched and a surprising look behind the scenes of a marriage everyone thinks they know, but don't.

I enjoyed this book. I did not know much about Grace Kelly outside of her work in films and that she married a prince and stopped acting. I found the story of her life to be fascinating and also enjoyed learning more about Monaco and the royal history there. I found it incredible that she gave up a career that she loved and was extremely successful at to marry a man she really had only known a short time. Her story was not the fairy tale everyone pictures, but she still had an amazing journey. II enjoyed this book. I did not know much about Grace Kelly outside of her work in films and that she married a prince and stopped acting. I found the story of her life to be fascinating and also enjoyed learning more about Monaco and the royal history there. I found it incredible that she gave up a career that she loved and was extremely successful at to marry a man she really had only known a short time. Her story was not the fairy tale everyone pictures, but she still had an amazing journey. I also did not know the circumstances of her death before reading this. How tragic! Overall great read. ...more

It’s always enjoyable to read about interesting figures in pop-culture; however one thing I don’t like about biographies set in the present or the recent past, is that towards the end when they get to “the present” it’s often outdated. Reading about Prince Rainier’s future is a little odd since he’s dead!

Another example: I recently saw a biography featuring Charles & Camilla and all the Royal Pundits were unanimous that they could NEVER get married… ever!... kinda stupid now that they’ve beeIt’s always enjoyable to read about interesting figures in pop-culture; however one thing I don’t like about biographies set in the present or the recent past, is that towards the end when they get to “the present” it’s often outdated. Reading about Prince Rainier’s future is a little odd since he’s dead!

Another example: I recently saw a biography featuring Charles & Camilla and all the Royal Pundits were unanimous that they could NEVER get married… ever!... kinda stupid now that they’ve been happily-hitched since 2005!

As far as biographies go, this one was very well written. I enjoyed learning about all of the struggles and intricacies associated with her life. She was a classic movie star whom I well respected. The biography was able to focus on the struggles of her life without casting a negative shadow.

Randy Taraborrelli is a wonderful story teller. A little too wordy - the books he writes are very long but like the ones on the Kennedy family this one is very interesting. Grace Kelly was a wonderful actress and although her life was not a fairy tale prior to her marriage and there were many problems during her marriage - overall it was a fairy tale many young women dream of. She was beautiful, poised, elegant, and charming on the outside and troubled and lonely on the inside

Even with the sad eRandy Taraborrelli is a wonderful story teller. A little too wordy - the books he writes are very long but like the ones on the Kennedy family this one is very interesting. Grace Kelly was a wonderful actress and although her life was not a fairy tale prior to her marriage and there were many problems during her marriage - overall it was a fairy tale many young women dream of. She was beautiful, poised, elegant, and charming on the outside and troubled and lonely on the inside

Grace Kelly is one of my favorite actresses. She was the very definition of elegance and class; not to mention gorgeous. Not only was her career a point of interest but her marriage. Not many actresses got to live the actual Hollywood fairytale and become a real princess. This provides background on her childhood and her rise to Hollywood fame and her marriage and family life. It truly is an honest depiction of her life. I definitely recommend it.

A very well written look at the life and romance of Grace Kelly, and her marriage with Prince Rainier of Monaco. Despite some major flaws, this is one of the better biographies on royalty and fame. Grace Kelly can still fascinate nearly two decades after the world lost her.

Recommends it for: Anyone interested in the life story of Princess Grace; those interested in royalty; monaco buffs

I really liked this book - it illuminated Princess Grace's life, with a lot more emphasis on the pre-royalty life. It's a sad story, and it really shows that she wasn't a happy princess. I love bios, and I love Princess Grace, so I of course really liked this book.

I loved the book. It explained many things about her life and tragedies I did not know. She had a not-so-great marriage, a career that ended too soon, many troubles with her children, and a tragic ending. Still, we see the fairytale and love to imagine!

Very interesting, but I think the author was somewhat sympathetic toward his subject matter. On the other hand, I really don't want to read about the troubles in other people's lives. He did a good job balancing their right to privacy with facts.

I really enjoyed this book--Details emerge about the lives of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier. It takes the reader into a fairy land but also gives us insight as to the difficulties inherent in lives like the Princess and Prince experienced.

An interesting look at one of the most fascinating love stories of my lifetime. And, for those of us who want to believe in fairy tales, a stark reality check. Finding prince charming doesn't mean the heroine will live happily ever after.

I was pleasantly surprised to read such a detailed synopsis of the life of the Grimaldis. I recommend this book for people who want to go behind the glamor and camera flashes and learn about the real challenges a family faces.

Very intersting to read how Grace adjusted to what life brought to her way. After her movie days she had to deal with a new country, language, marriage, children, teenagers, menopause... A very human story. Loved it!

J. Randy Taraborrelli is an author known for biographies of contemporary entertainers and political figures. He is a featured writer in several entertainment magazines in Canada, England, and Australia. He also appears on television as an entertainment news reporter on shows such as Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, Today and CBS This Morning. Taraborrelli resides in Los Angeles, CalifoJ. Randy Taraborrelli is an author known for biographies of contemporary entertainers and political figures. He is a featured writer in several entertainment magazines in Canada, England, and Australia. He also appears on television as an entertainment news reporter on shows such as Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, Today and CBS This Morning. Taraborrelli resides in Los Angeles, California.

Taraborrelli, who has written eighteen books (including updated and expanded editions), has had fourteen of them appear on the New York Times best seller list, the most recent of which was 2014's The Hiltons - The True Story of an American Dynasty. His first best seller was Call Her Miss Ross in 1989. His 2009 biography of Marilyn Monroe - The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe - made a re-appearance on the e-books best-seller list at number two in the summer of 2012.

In November of 2012, it was announced that Reelz cable channel had optioned Taraborrelli's New York Times best-selling book, After Camelot, as a miniseries. It will be his second television miniseries, the first airing on NBC in 2000 and based on his book, Jackie, Ethel, Joan.

Through his newly formed J. Randy Taraborrelli Productions, Taraborrelli is currently developing and producing a number of television projects....more